Technical Field
Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure relate to solar-powered electricity generation systems and, more particularly, to a portable, solar-powered, back-up electricity generation system for storing and providing power to in-home appliances.
Prior Art
Homeowners and households today rely heavily upon electrical power, virtually all of it supplied by electric utilities. As long as the “grid” doesn't go down or become interrupted, everything is fine: you depend on the utility for your power, you pay for the power you use, and if you look no further than this, life is great. If you look just a little further, though, there are good reasons to equip yourself with a back-up generator, and good reasons to look into “alternative” sources of electrical energy.
For one thing, even in the climate-controlled comfort of our homes and offices, the situation can change in an instant. A winter storm takes down the power lines, the cable, the phone, the furnace; a tropical storm leaves us without the comfort of air-conditioning, bereft of our computer and television, microwave and stove—and once the power is down, the food in the refrigerator becomes a major concern. Some households have equipped themselves with gasoline-powered generators for such contingencies, but these generators are both loud and expensive, and because they release dangerous exhaust gases they must be used carefully and outside the structure—something that may or may not be possible for a given household. In this case, while a back-up generator is desirable, some sort of “alternative” energy source—wind or solar, perhaps—may relieve us of the need for gasoline, and the hazards of its combustion.
From another point of view, we might consider that the utility supplying our power is generating that power by burning coal or oil, thus generating not only electricity but also so-called “greenhouse gases.” Now, whether or not one accepts “anthropogenic” or man-caused global warming as a result of these gases, there is no denying that our reliance on imported Middle East oil is dangerous to both our economy and our national security. Getting off of Middle East oil, again, requires us to find “green energy” solutions: to generate electricity through solar and wind power; to produce more fuel-efficient and alternative-fuel cars, and so forth.
Clearly, then, there are a variety of good reasons for homeowners and householders to look for economical, reliable, environmentally friendly sources of primary or back-up electrical power: and such a source is the invention to be described and discussed in this report.
Accordingly, a need remains for a portable solar-powered back-up electricity generating system in order to overcome prior art shortcomings. The exemplary embodiment(s) satisfy such a need by providing a portable solar-powered back-up electricity system that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and designed for providing a power sources to operate in-home appliances.